Men broadcast sex with underage girl online

AMHERST -- A 21-year-old Amherst man and an 18-year-old Lorain man are accused of streaming video over the Internet of sexual activity with an underage girl, according to Amherst police Lt. Joseph Kucirek.

Investigators believe other juveniles might have also been involved in sex acts that were streamed online.

"There is indication that some of the juveniles may have received money for what happened on the web cam," he added.

Max Torgerson, 21, of Amherst, and Darrin Karnik, 18, of Lorain, were both charged with two counts each of sexual imposition, importuning, compelling prostitution, pandering obscenity involving a minor and pandering obscenity. They were taken to Lorain County Jail and are being held on $60,500 bond. They are scheduled to appear in Oberlin Municipal Court today at 8:30 a.m.

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Police said the girl is younger than 16 years old, but wouldn't give her exact age.

Kucirek said more arrests may be made.

Kucirek said the mother of the girl contacted police Sept. 14 saying the two men were involved in sexual activity with her daughter and video of the activity was streamed over the Internet at various times the past several months.

The sexual activity occurred in at least two different locations in Amherst and viewers paid money to a website to view it, according to Kucirek. Torgerson and Karnik were not in charge of the website, only contributors.

"(Torgerson and Karnik) were using other known websites that cater to this kind of activity," Kucirek said. "They were both involved in the online stuff in one way or another, either online themselves or facilitating the sexual activity."

He would not elaborate on the two men's exact roles. An undisclosed amount of money was seized during the investigation. Kucirek would only say it was in cash and "not a huge amount."

Wednesday morning, officers searched a home on Larkmoor Street, Lorain, and seized evidence from the home that Karnik shares with his grandparents. The grandparents were not charged and there was no indication they were involved, Kucirek said. He would only say "electronic evidence" was seized.

Karnik was arrested yesterday at the Amherst Police Department.

Torgerson was arrested Wednesday on two petty theft warrants, through Amherst police, at a home where he had been staying on Oak Tree Drive North, Lorain.